Jasper
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: What if Jasper had been the one that left? who would help him back? Maybe a silly old bear. Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon or Winnie the Pooh! just the ideas of this story.
1. Chapter 1

I heard the truck rumbling down our driveway and knew who it was immediately, Bella and Edward...I recognized both their scents right away and I smiled inwardly, even though I have a hard time around Bella, I knew she was right for my brother and she made my wife Alice so happy to have a real friend after all these many, many years...Esme and Rose were family, Esme was well...a mother and Rosealie? well, it's way to hard to explain her. I hear Bella asking:

"Can I ask you a question?"

Silence as I wait:

"If I get this film developed, will you show up in it?"

I hear myself laugh, Edward laugh and somewhere in the house I hear Carlisle chuckle and Emmett nearly about rolling on the floor with laughter! I can tell Bella asked that question to ease tension with Edward for some reason, it worked and sometimes humans are better at easing the situation down than I am. I relunctly go out the door because I know if I don't come, my Alice will drag me and it won't matter if I kick and scream.

Carlisle and Esme were already at the door and welcoming in Bella and Edward, Esme kissed Bella in a loving mother way and I heard Carlisle tell Bella:

"Sorry about this Bella, we couldn't rein Alice in"

I think:

"There's no way'!

Rosealie and Emmett stand behind, Emmett smiles his big bear grin...Rosealie doesn't, no surprise there then I hear Emmett tell Bella that she's just the same red faced girl as always. She says 'Thanks a lot Emmett' and she blushes. Emmett laughs then says:

'I have to step out for a second….then he winks at Alice and continues to say 'Don't do anything funny while I'm gone' 'I'll try'

Alice let go of my hand and she skipped toward Bella, I loved seeing her so happy, I'd do anything for that happiness for her so…this is no big deal. Alice announced:

'Time to open presents!"

Alice dragged her to the table with all the presents on and Bella says:

'Alice, I told you I didn't want anything…." 'But I didn't listen and she takes the camera from Bella and gives her a silver box, Bella reads the tag and opens it but she only has questions on her face but she doesn't ask them so she says:

'Um…thanks'

Rosealie actually smiles then I tell her:

'It's a stereo for your truck, Emmett's installing it right now so you can't return it"

Bella smiles then says:

"Thanks Jasper, Rosealie…thanks Emmett!"

Bella doesn't need to yell but humans have their habits then I hear Emmett just laughing. I hear Alice saying:

"Open mine and Edward's next!"

Bella turns to Edward and says:

"You promised!"

Emmett bounded in the room before Edward could say anything and he says:

"Just in time!"

Edward then tells Bella:

"I didn't spend a dime"

Bella just sighs and takes the box from Alice and says:

"Give it to me"

Emmett chuckles and Bella puts her finger under the edge of the paper and she says:

"Shoot"

That's when everything changes. For the worst.

I don't know why, I hear my brother Edward yell 'No!'

He goes to Bella and throws her backward and everything falls, the cake, the flowers, the presents and Bella lands in a floor of glass. I feel Edward's body hitting mine and it sounds like a mountain falling down and I hear myself…snarling? I see my trying to snap at Edward's….why am I not stopping myself? My other brother Emmett grabs me from behind but all I can see is Bella…and her blood. Bella rolls over to the piano and moans and my father figure says:

'Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside"

Emmett just pulls at me with all his strength and says:

"Come on Jasper"

I realize now my actions and I'm embarrassed, Alice and Esme want to cry and Edward I can see blames himself. I go and when we get outside in the air…the door closes behind us and I say:

"I can still smell her"

Emmett says:

"Let's go"

We go down the steps and at vampire speed, we dart across the driveway and even to the edge of the woods and I say:

"This is better"

We all go quiet as stones then a few minutes later, I walk off, well, a human would think its running down the walkway deeper into the woods. I sense Alice wanting to follow me but Esme puts her hand on her shoulder and says:

"No, let him go Alice, he needs time"

She stays back and that's the last me my family sees me for awhile.


	2. Chapter 2 Winnie the Pooh

Jasper didn't care where he was, he just knew he had to be alone but he glanced up at the sign of the town and it said ' Welcome to Rice Lake, Wisconsin'. His cell phone in his pocket buzzed and he new he had a text message, he got it out, read it-'Please come home, it doesn't matter! A'. He shut the power off of his cell phone, put it back in his pocket and headed…nowhere in particular…it was cloudy and rainy this time of years over most of the northern states so he could walk about in daytime or night but it was the twilight of the day. After a while he came to the business part of town, he just started aimlessly down a sidewalk and he saw that most of the stores were abandoned, the windows boarded up and he kicks a can in frustration…then hears a small voice:

"Hey! Help!"

He looks around but doubts anybody would want help from a vampire so he starts to go on but the small voice was insistent.

"Please help me!"

He looks around but doesn't see anybody but then he notices a old door to the store beside him on the side of the walk has been kicked in. He looks in but doesn't see anybody so he thinks maybe he's hearing things so he starts to leave again but:

"Help! I'm over here!"

He turns back and goes inside, still doesn't see anything but he starts to kick old debris aside then he see a small Winnie-the-Pooh doll laying on the table and he rubs his eyes, shakes his head and Winnie says:

"Please help!"

Jasper goes over and looks down at the doll and he says:

"H-hello?"

The bear smiles then says:

"Finally! You know how long I have been here? For weeks!"

Jasper looks around then Winnie says:

"Um, can you help me up? I see to can't get up in this way"

Jasper helps him sit up and the bear stretches then says:

"Thank you"

Jasper is taken aback and says:

"Um, you're welcome"

Pooh stands up and looks around then asks Jasper:

"Um, you wouldn't happen to have a smidgen of honey on you would you?..."

He rubs his round belly then says:

"I seem to have a rumble in my tummy, he he"

Jasper looks around then says:

"Sorry"

Winnie stands up then says:

"That's okay, we'll just sigh, find some"

Jasper is taken aback as the bear walks to the edge of the counter and sniffs the air and Jasper asks:

"We?"

Pooh looks at him and says:

"If you don't mind"

Jasper shrugs his shoulders and says:

"No, I don't mind"

He smiles at Jasper and Jasper asks:

"Aren't you supposed to be fiction?"

Winnie smiles and laughs his little laugh then says:

"Aren't you?"

Jasper shrugs his shoulders then laughs himself then says:

"Yeah"

Winnie hops on his shoulder then Jasper asks:

"Why are you here?"

Winnie looks around then says:

"Oh, uh, the men who owned this toy store came in one day and gathered up everything, including my friends, I was going to but I fell out of the box and they didn't notice me"

Jasper looks at him and says:

"I'm sorry, oh, I'm Jasper"

Jasper extends his hand and Winnie shakes his finger and says:

"Oh, I know"

Jasper looks puzzled then says:

"You do?"

Winnie-the-Pooh smiles then says:

"I know a lot of things…"

He looks thoughtfully then says:

"No…not a lot but I do know you!"

Jasper smiles then asks Winnie:

"Where do you want to go?"

Winnie thinks then says:

"To where my friends are!"

Jasper asks him:

"Do you know where?"

Pooh thinks by tapping his head with his paw then his eyes light up and he says:

"They said New York!"

Jasper shrugs his shoulders then says:

"New York it is"

Winnie smiles then says:

"You don't mind?"

Jasper shakes his head then says:

"Nope"

Winnie sniffs the air then says:

"In there please, I smell honey"

Jasper goes next door to another abandoned store, walks in and Pooh points to the far right of the store in a water closet, Jasper looks in and says:

"There's a hive"

Winnie smiles his best and says:

"The nose knows"

Jasper smiles and Winnie says:

"I'll go get it"

Jasper stops him by saying:

"Uh, Pooh, no offense but I better, you got stung last time remember?"

Pooh thinks then says:

"Oh yes, Christopher Robin and I were up in that tree for a good while!"

Pooh hops off his shoulder and down on the floor while Jasper gets the honey, gets out, gives it to Pooh who eats with delight then after a while, he jumps up on Jasper's shoulder, yawns and _stretches_ then says:

"I'm sorry Jasper, I know you don't sleep but can I take a nap in your pocket? A full tummy always makes me sleepy"

Jasper smiles then says:

"Okay Pooh"

Pooh hops in and then asks:

"And can I bother you to lay down so you don't jostle me awake please?"

Jasper looks around and sees a old cot in the back room and says:

"No problem"

Winnie smiles and Jasper goes to lay down with his thoughts a thousand miles in motion. He yawns again and says:

"Good night Jasper"

Jasper smiles then says:

"Good night Pooh"

Pooh goes to sleep and Jasper thinks of Alice.


	3. Chapter 3 Scenes of Family

Winnie-the-Pooh woke up, he stretched and yawned, he looked at Jasper and said:

"Good morning Jasper"

Jasper looks down at his little friend and says:

"Good morning Pooh"

Pooh rolls around then sits up and says:

"Shall we go?"

Jasper looks outside and sees morning sunlight coming through the boards on the window and says:

"It's sunny right now, can we wait awhile?"

Pooh bear thinks then says:

"Of coarse"

Jasper looks around the room then says:

"What do we do?"

Pooh puts on his thinking face again then says with enthusiasm:

"Talk!"

Jasper sits up and says:

"Okay, what do we talk about?"

Pooh slowly crawls right up to his face and says:

"Why you are so sad?"

Jasper sighs then asks:

"How did you know?"

Pooh snuggles up to his chin and says:

"I can read your face"

Jasper tells him:

"Okay, I guess I can talk to you, you may be the only one I can talk to"

Pooh sits down and says:

"I'm listening"

Jasper sighs and sits up straighter then begins his tale:

"My brother Edward bought his girlfriend to our house for a birthday party that my wife was throwing for her..."

He hesitates some then continues:

"Everything was going good but then...she cut her finger on a birthday present and the blood came out, I jumped on it, it was smelling so good...I shouldn't have done that, why didn't I control myself?"

Jasper hangs his head down low and Pooh bear gets up and goes over to him and pats him slowly then says softly:

"It's okay"

Jasper looks at him and says:

"You're not scared of me now?"

Winnie smiles, gets up and says:

"Why should I be? I'm made of stuffing remember?"

They both laugh and then Pooh asks him:

"Why don't you go home?"

Jasper closes his eyes then says:

"I can't....I'm so ashamed, Alice deserves better"

Winnie-the-pooh rolls over and says:

"Why don't you let her decide?"

Jasper looks at him and says:

'Sometimes, you need to decide for other people"

Pooh looks around then says:

"Would you like to see?"

Jasper looks at him confused then says:

"You can do that?"

Pooh laughs then says:

"Yes"

He goes over to Jasper's shoulder and throws his paw out and gold glitter comes from his paw and a screen appears on the wall and Jasper asks him:

"How do you do that?"

Pooh looks in thought and says:

"I don't know but even Christopher Robin doesn't know so please, shhhh!"

Jasper silently agrees then they watch the pictures on the wall:

Alice is sitting in a fetal position and Esme comes over, Alice just falls over and grabs her mother and cries out:

"Where is he? why doesn't he come home?"

Esme kisses her daughters forehead then says:

"He just needs some time dear, he'll come home when he's ready"

Alice just closes up her little fist and yells out:

"He should come home now!"

Alice just falls 'crying' in her mother's lap and Esme kisses her forehead.

Alice just continues to 'cry' in her mother's lap.

Back with Jasper and Pooh, he turns and looks at Jasper then Pooh says:

"Let's see what the rest of the family is doing"

The scene shifts to Edward and Bella sitting at the piano, Edward is playing a _SAD _ melody and a tear comes down Bella's cheek and she says to Edward:

"Why did Alice give me that party? if she hadn't, Jasper would still be here"

He stops playing and puts his arms around her and says:

"We don't know that, I think Jasper would have left if this happened with anybody"

She looks at him then says:

"You don't believe that"

He looks at her, sighs then says flatly:

"No"

They just look at each other then out at the town of Forks woods.

The pictures on the wall then go to Rosealie and Emmett. Rose sits on the bed looking at Emmett lifting weights ten times what a human being would be doing and she asks:

"How can you be doing that?"

He puts down the weights then says:

"I don't know what else to be doing"

She sighs then says:

"I don't either"

He goes up beside her and says:

"I miss him...Edward doesn't wrestle like him"

She turns to him and hits him on the shoulder and says:

"You miss him for more than that!"

Emmett chuckles then says:

"Yeah, I know, he's my brother"

She turns around and says:

"I don't know who to blame, Alice or _her"_

Emmett looks around and quietly says:

"Neither"

Rose just looks ahead.

Finally Carlisle's face is on the screen and he just rubs his temple's, he doesn't have a headache but with everything going on, he feels like he should. After a few minutes, he just grabs his medical bag and leaves for the hospital. He bounds down the stairs but stops when he see his daughter Alice 'crying' in Esme's lap, his heart melts and he goes over and kisses his daughter on the forehead tells Esme he is going to the hospital and signals her quietly to come over by the door and she does then he says:

"I know he's my son but if he was home, I would throttle him"

Esme looks at Alice and says:

"Shhh, I would to.."

He looks at his daughter then says:

"I'm going to the hospital"

She kisses him then says:

"Have a good day"

He looks around the room at the depressing scene then says:

"I'll try"

He leaves and Esme goes back to Alice.

Winnie takes the pictures off the wall then looks back at Jasper then asks him:

"Why don't you go back?"

Jasper stiffens then says:

"They'll get over it"

Winnie-the-Pooh sighs then Jasper looks outside then says:

"It's cloudy now"

Winnie sits up and says:

"Let's go!..."

Then he looks thoughtfully then says:

"Jasper?"

Jasper stands up and asks:

"What Pooh?"

Pooh looks around then asks Jasper sheepishly:

"Could I have some honey please? From the closet?"

Jasper sighs, puts Pooh down on the bed and goes to get the honey while Pooh claps his paws in delight.


	4. Chapter 4 What if I have never come

**DISCLAIMER--I do not own Twilight or Winnie the Pooh. The powers I give Winnie in this story is of my own little imagination, for the story purposes.**

Thanks to the bad weather, well, not bad but cloudy enough for Jasper to travel...he was now in the state of Ohio with Winnie in his shirt pocket. They are walking on a road with forest to the right of them and endless road to the left...Winnie sticks his head out and looks at Jasper and says:

"Jasper....why are your eyes black?"

Jasper stops looks at his little friend then at the forest and says:

"I guess it has been a while since I fed"

He picks Winnie up out of his pocket and sits him on a little rock which to Pooh is a boulder, they look to the woods and see a black grizzly bear come out and Pooh pleads:

"Noooooo"

Jasper looks down at his friend holding his back paws and Jasper smiles then he spies a mountain lion crawling on a rock and he looks back at Pooh bear and bear shakes his head and Jasper goes over, grabs the lion by the neck quickly but before he snaps his neck, he sees what the lion was looking at....on the bottom of the other side of the cliff, he sees two girl scouts looking about their area, Jasper looks back at the mountain lion and says:

"I'm going to enjoy this"

He kills the snarling animal in a moment, drinks, throws down the beast then goes back to Pooh wiping his mouth and Pooh asks:

"Do you feel better?"

Jasper shakes his head then says:

"Actually, I do"

Pooh stands up and says:

"Good, can we go on?"

Jasper picks him up and puts him in his shirt pocket and says:

"Let's go"

After they walk a few steps, Jasper says:

"I was thinking Pooh...about Alice....maybe I should have never come..."

Pooh interrupts him by saying:

"If you have never come along?"

Jasper shakes his head then Pooh says:

"Don't say that"

Jasper stops and says:

"Why do you say that?"

Pooh scratches his little head then says:

"Because life is for the better since you meet Alice...why you wouldn't be here now taking me to New York if you hadn't met her" "Yes but I just wonder if her life would have been better if I hadn't come along?"

Pooh looks around then says:

"Would you like to see?"

Jasper asks:

"You can do that too?"

Pooh smiles then says:

"I don't know but we shall see"

Pooh throws out his paw to a real big boulder and scenes show up. Alice 's face shows up on the screen but Jasper notices one important thing:

"Her eyes! they are blood red!"

Pooh looks at Jasper's amber eyes then says:

"What color should they be?"

Jasper looks at him then says:

"Gold, absolute pure golden eyes!"

Pooh looks at her red eyes on the screen then says:

"We'll find out why I suppose"

She walks down a ally, she suddenly stops and looks up and sees James...she smiles and goes on and suddenly a drunken man comes up to her and says:

"What are you doing honey? all alone in a place like this?"

She turns her head and smiles at him then says:

"I was looking for you"

He smiles then says:

"For me? well, you got me"

They both go further into the shadows and Alice moves in like she is going to kiss him but instead she bites him until he passes out and James jumps down and they both finish him off. Jasper screams:

"What! what is going on! Alice isn't like that!"

Pooh says:

"Well, I guess since you two didn't meet, she didn't become a vegetarian and she met..that person, who was that?"

Jasper answers him:

"James, a vampire but he's dead now"

Pooh looks back at the screen and sees Alice and James walking into a cave with a campfire blazing. Alice takes her clothes off, James smiles and takes his shirt and pants off and Pooh says:

"Oh, I shouldn't be watching this...I am a G rated character"

Jasper whispers:

"I shouldn't be watching this"

With a wave of his hand, the screen disappears then says:

"Well..now do you think you never should have met Alice?"

Jasper looks at him then says:

"Okay, okay I guess I know now that it was the best for Alice and I to have met"

Pooh smiles then asks:

"Does that mean you'll go back to Alice now?"

Jasper looks at him then says firmly:

"No, it just means I know it's best that Alice and I _did_ meet, I just think it's best that I leave now"

He picks Pooh up, puts him in his pocket then says:

"Besides if I don't...how will you get to New York?"

Pooh looks confused then smiles the frowns again then says:

"Um, Jasper, now that you have had something to eat, um, I don't suppose I could bother you for...." "Some honey? where can I get honey in the middle of here?"

Pooh looks around then says:

"Maybe if you follow that nice bear, he could lead us to some?"

Pooh looks at Jasper with such innocent smiling eyes, Jasper sighs and goes into the woods.


	5. Chapter 5 New York

Jasper stopped when he saw the official 'Welcome to New York' sign, he said:

"Pooh?"

The sleepy little bear looked over Jasper's shirt pocket and said in a sleepy little voice:

"Yes?"

Jasper tells him:

"We're in New York buddy"

Pooh says:

"We are? yoo-hoo!"

Just then a strike of lightening comes out of the sky and Pooh bear jumps up and hides futher in Jasper's pocket but comes right back up and says:

"Um, Jasper?" "Yes Pooh?" "Could we um, go for cover?"

He looks at the sky and looks at the rain coming down and the thunder softly rumbling away then says:

"Fine with me Pooh but where?"

They strain their eyes looking over the landscape and then finally in the far northwest of them, they see a old abandoned gas station and Jasper says:

"There!"

He runs over there and sees a door boarded up and the lock is so old and rusted that he just pulls it off easily with out to much vampire strength and he goes in and they both shake off. Jasper then says:

"I'll tell you Pooh, please don't tell Emmett but I don't like being out in storms"

Pooh looks at him then says:

"Really?"

Jasper shakes his head then puts Pooh on a counter and walks around and looks at empty shelves and old coke machines then looks outside at the rain pouring down harder

and he says:

"So, what do we do now?"

Pooh taps his head....tap, tap, tap then his eyes light up and he says:

"Well, I had a idea"

Pooh feels his chin then says:

"Well, I don't know if you want to do it"

Jasper's interest is peaked and he asks:

"What?"

Pooh walks up closer to him then says:

"Would you like to see what Alice will do?"

He looks at him then asks:

"You can do that?"

Pooh taps his head again then says:

"I can try" "Then go ahead"

Pooh looks around then sees the back of a shelf and throws his paw and the gold glitter comes out again and they see a huge airplane then they see a lonely Alice sitting down and they hear a voice on the intercom:

"Please fasten your seat belts, we will be landing in Florence, Italy soon"

Jasper yells out:

"Italy!"

Winnie the Pooh looks at Jasper with a funny look then asks:

"What's wrong with Italy?"

Jasper hollers out:

"No vampire goes to Italy unless..."

They then see Alice walking down the corridor and sees the huge door opening and there stands Aro smiling. Then they see Alec and Demetri putting on her a velvet red robe, a robe of the guards then they bring a scared human to her, they force the victim to stand in front of Alice and she bites him and drinks his blood then throws the body on the ground and he sees her golden eyes turn blood red.

Jasper screams:

"Turn it off! I've seen enough!"

The pictures on the wall disappear and Jasper asks Pooh:

"Are you sure that will happen?"

Pooh looks around then says:

"I don't know Jasper, it's really the first time I tried it"

Jasper gets his phone out of his pocket, turns it on and immediately sees almost more than 60 messages from his family. He clicks on the first name, Edward, takes a unnecessary deep breath then after a few rings, he hears his very angry brother's voice:

"Where the ***** have you been? things are not good here! Esme is crying and I have NEVER seen Carlisle in the state he is in!!!"

Jasper knows by the angry voice of Edward, his worst daytime nightmare is coming true and he just screams/asks Edward:

"Where's Alice?!"

Edward just tells him:

"She's gone, Bella found the note, she's gone to Italy! she doesn't see a point in being here without your sorry hide here!"

The world spins around Jasper then he says very loudly:

"I'm coming!"

He turns off the phone, starts to throw it but thinks again, puts it in his pocket but instead looks at the empty shelf that was the screen and bends it in a unnatural shape.

Pooh looks at him and asks:

"Jasper?...can you still take me to my friends?"

Jasper looks at him then begins to think straight then asks:

"Pooh, think, where exactly did they say they were going?"

Pooh puts on his DEEP thinking cap then after a few minutes, his eyes light up then he says:

"I know! a shop in Central Park!"

Jasper quickly grabs his little friend, puts him in his pocket and starts out the door then Pooh asks him:

"Um Jasper?"

Jasper looks at the storm disappearing then says:

"Don't worry, it's going over"

Pooh still snuggles deeper in Jasper's pocket and Jasper runs at vampire speed out.


	6. Chapter 6Rushing here and going there

It was in record vampire speed that Jasper made it to Central Park. He stopped at the entrance and looked around and said:

"Pooh, we're here"

Pooh looks out of Jasper's pocket, looks around and asks:

"This is Central Park?"

Jasper shakes his head then says:

"This is it" "Hmmm"

Jasper then asks him impatiently:

"Where are your friends?"

Pooh scratches his head then says:

"I have no idea"

They walk around looking then Pooh looks at the rock bridge just ahead of them and he asks Jasper with a pitch in his voice:

"What's that Jasper?"

Jasper looks and with his finer eyes, he sees something yellow on the ground and says:

"I don't know, let's go see"

They go over there and Jasper sees that it is Rabbitt! he picks him up and Pooh says:

"Rabbit! I'm so glad to see you!"

Rabbit rubs his eyes then says:

"Pooh, is that you?"

Pooh giggle then says:

"It's me"

Rabbit asks:

"How did you get here?"

Pooh points straight up at Jasper and says:

"This is my friend Jasper, Jasper, Rabbit, Rabbit Jasper"

Jasper and Rabbit shake hands (if you can say that) and Pooh asks:

"How long have you been here?"

Anger just comes to Rabbit's eyes and he hollers out:

"It seems like forever! hmmpf, people going this way and that, the most rudest people I have ever seen! this would not happen in the 100 acre woods!"

Rabbit turns around in a huff, Jasper and Pooh look at each other then Jasper asks:

"Well, where are your friends Rabbit, I have to get going!"

Rabbit turns around, puts his finger to his mouth and thinks:

"That way I think! Yes! That way!"

Jasper picks up Rabbit and runs in the direction he pointed to, they see several shops, a dress shop, souvenir shop then bingo! A toy shop! Jasper slows his speed to a normal human pace and walks in and they look around, Jasper spies the human behind the counter but then they finally see Tigger, Roo, Christopher Robin and ALL of the gang! They all smile, jump for joy and of coarse Tigger starts bouncing!

Tigger says:

"Woo-hoo buddy boy! I knew you would come!"

Tigger just smiles and rubs his belly while Jasper gets both Pooh and Rabbit out of his pocket and then bends down and says:

"I'm sorry to bring you and leave but I have to go Pooh"

Pooh turns to Jasper and says:

"Thank you Jasper"

Jasper shakes his little paw then says:

"You're welcome Pooh"

Rabbit says:

"Yes, thank you Jasper without you we wouldn't be with family"

Jasper thinks on that then smiles, waves goodbye then leaves in vampire speed without so much as a glance from the person behind the counter. Pooh looks around at everybody then says:

"Um…you wouldn't happen to have a smidgen of honey do you? By any chance?"

Everybody laughs and Christopher Robin says:

"Oh, Pooh, silly ol' bear"

Eeyore just says:

"Winnie the Pooh, never changes, always honey, sigh"

Just as Jasper is out the door of the toy store, he snatches out his cell phone, opens it and quickly dials the number of the nearest airport. A human female answers and says:

"J F K airport, how can we help you?"

Jasper looks around then says:

"I would like to book a flight for Florence, Italy as soon as possible please"

She types in a number of things on her keyboard then says:

"There's a flight leaving in forty minutes, can you be here?"

He smiles then says:

"Oh yes, I'll force myself"

She then tells him:

"Okay, you can pick up your ticket at gate 14 please" "Thank you"

Jasper snaps the phone shut then takes off out of the park.


	7. Chapter 7 Italy

I had met Edward and Bella just outside the gates of Volterra and I could tell Edward was more than angry with me, he spoke no words, he didn't have to but he mellowed as he read my mind, Bella was hardly speaking either but all she could think was that her best friend was doing something CRAZY, INSANE was the word. We all went in and was frantically looking around for Alice then Bella saw her. Alice opened the massive doors under the clock tower and went in. Bella tried screaming for her but with all the noise of the crowds and music blasting out working everybody into a human frenzy, she couldn't have heard even with perfect vampire hearing.

All I can think about is getting to her before….Edward grabs Bella's hand and he looks at me and we run for the tower like a runner in the Olympics. We don't bother going around the fountain, we just run in it with water splashing on our legs, the door closes and my chest feels a heaviness in it, Edward finally gets to the door, flings it open and Bella races in and yells:

"Alice!"

Alice turns to look at her, shock comes on her face and she says:

"What are you doing here?"

Bella says:

"Did you really think we wouldn't after we read the note?"

Alice calmly says:

"I don't see any point in being there without…"

Alice doesn't even finish her sentence because I fall on her like a boulder on the ground and if Alice was shocked at seeing her best friend, her face it is indescribable when she see me! Alice says:

"What? Jasper?"

I let go of her and look at her and grab both of her tiny hands in mine and say in one quick time:

"I'm so, so very sorry, I was hurt, stupid…a, a million other things you want to call me"

She looks at me still in shock but she says:

"You're here? With me?"

I kiss her hands then says:

"Yes and I'll never leave you again"

Edward and Bella smile at each other then says:

"That's sweet but now let's get out of here before…"

Too late, Bella, myself and Edward see two dark shapes coming in from the gloom and Edward says:

"Greetings gentlemen, I don't think we'll be requiring you services today. I would appreciate it very much, however if you would send out thanks to your masters today"

Edward was calmer than I was right now, I hadn't even used my powers on him but then a voice says:

"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?"

I don't trust myself to speak, I just let Edward have the conversation:

"I don't believe that will be necessary, we know your instructions, Felix, we haven't broken any rules"

Another voice speaks out:

"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun, let us seek out better cover"

Edward says rather dryly:

"Girls, why don't you go back to the square and enjoy the festival"

Edward was worried about Bella and he knew Alice would be okay, she was covered in a hat, scarf, gloves, her skin wouldn't glisten. But Felix said:

"No, bring the girls"

There was something sinister in his voice as he said those words. Edward was preparing himself to fight. I could imagine Edward getting into many fights at school when he was a human, and I saw Bella mouth 'No' to him and he replied to her:

"Shhh"

The second unnamed voice just said:

"Felix, not here…."

The man turned to Edward and said to him and to all of us really:

"Aro would just like to speak with all of you, surely, after you have came all this way"

Edward looks at all of us then says:

"Certainly, but the ladies go outside, it was Jasper and I who really wanted…."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, we do have rules to obey"

"Then I'm afraid we'll be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demerti"

"That's just fine" Felix said. Felix reminded me of Emmett and I wanted my big brother here now!

"Aro will be disappointed" Demetri said:

"I'm sure he'll survive the letdown" Edward said as I watched the two bigger vampires spread out, Edward pushed Bella slightly to the side, they were going to try to force us into a alley. Edward and I stayed exactly where we were then just then Alice spoke up bright and bouncy:

"Let's behave ourselves shall we? There are ladies present"

Alice just stood beside me, her stance casual. I looked at her, she was so tiny, so fragile. I think that's why they stopped. Even vampires are surprised by her tiny frame and they are thinking 'I could crush her!' Hmmm, Emmett knows better.

Demetri and Felix straightened up, their cloaks swirling as a gust of wind came in the alley. Demetri looked over his shoulder. A few yards away they saw a family, the mother spoke to her husband looking at the whole lot of us, she finally looked away when Demetri stared her down, Demetri looked at Edward then said:

"Please Edward, let's be reasonable"

Edward agreed:

"Let's…and we'll leave quietly now with no one the wiser"

Demetri sighed in frustration:

"At least let us discuss this more privately"

Edward was protecting all of us and he said 'No'

Felix smiled then a voice said very firmly and flatly:

"Enough"

I turned to see a small, dark shape coming to us and I wondered who that was and I looked at everybody and the person was smaller than Alice with her hair in a ponytail, it was a pretty little girl who should be on a play yard than with vampires. Felix and Demetri relaxed, stepping back into the shadows as to be concealed again. Edward also relaxed but in defeat. He sighed:

"Jane"

Alice folded her arms across her chest, her expression impassive.

"Follow me"

I heard Jane say. She turned and lead us into the dark, Felix gestured for us to go first with a smirk on his face. Alice went first to follow Jane, I saw Edward gather Bella closer to him and the ally went downward as it got smaller and I could see questions in Bella's mind.

"Well, Jasper…"

Edward said conversationally as we walked and said:

"Where have you been?"

Alice also asked me in the same tone:

"Yes, where have you been?"

My mind flicks though everything with Winnie the Pooh, their gang, Edward smiles and I think how odd they would be in this situation now and I say:

"I'll tell you Alice later"

I looked at the ongoing shadows and Alice nods her head. We continue following them and then all of a sudden, I didn't see the one named Jane then Alice just walked up and fall into a hole in the street, I went up to it and looked back at Bella who lost her breath at the thought of this but Edward tells her:

"Don't worry, Alice will catch you" and she bent down and whispered "Alice?"

My love answered back:"

"I'm right here Bella"

Edward gently took Bella's wrist then after asking Alice if she was ready, dropped her and he looked back at Felix and Demetri and being the gentleman, signaled for me to go so I did and then a second later, my brother and finally F & D. We went into a tunnel and I could feel Bella, her nervousness, how scared she was and I sent a wave of peace over her but I think Edward tightening his grip on her also helped. Finally we came to a grate, the iron bars, I was thinking 'How futile. A vampire could destroy them in seconds' but they are not there for vampires, they are there for humans'. Edward went in first this time, and all of us, the grille slammed shut, with a lock behind and it seemed all so _final._

On the other side of the room was a heavy wooden door, we went though and I saw Bella glancing around but I saw Edward, he was not happy.


	8. Chapter 8 Vampire Royalty

We came to a hallway and the carpet on the floor was gray and rectangular fluorerescent lights were on the ceiling and it was warmer which I could tell Bella was glad. Edward didn't seem intrestrested in the hallway, I could still feel anger coming from here and fright for Bella, he was looking at the figure standing by the elevator. He was pulling Bella with him rather protectively ( just like him ) and Alice and I walked in silent and we heard the door shut behind us, Jane waited by the elevator, she was bored.

We got in the elevator and I felt the Volturi members relax and finally we could see their faces, Felix and Demeti both had a olive complexion but with the pale faces of a vampire. Felix had short, blach hair and Demetri's was wavy but thier eyes was a deep, red color....under the cloaks, their clothes was modern, stylish. I saw Bella lean against Edward harder and I closed my hand on Alice's, I followed Edward's glare to Jane and I knew she was the most dangerous somehow.

It was a short elevator ride, we stepped into a office reception area. ( I guess to fool humans)....the walls were wood, the floors had a deep green carpet, there was no windows of coarse but large bright pictures of Italy's countryside. There was tables, couches and crystal vases full of beautiful bouquets. It all reminded me of a funeral home, Edward looked at me and silently gave me a nod of agreement.

In the middle of the room was a secretary's desk and a woman behind it. The woman was tall, a pretty human woman and Bella was SO surprized as was I. The woman smiled polietly as she looked at Jane and all of us. She wasn't surprized at Edward's chest or any of us who obviously wasn't Volturi. Jane just nodded polietly and simply said:

"Gianna" and just continued onward to double doors and the back of the room.

Felix was passing the desk and winked at her, Bella and I caught that and we looked at each other as the woman named Gianna smiled like a schoolgirl.

We finally entered the room, we first saw a pale boy who was a twin of Jane but his hair was darker, he walked up and said:

"Jane"

"Alec" was all she said and she hugged him then they look at us and he says:

"They send you out for one and you come back with even more...nice work"

He was looking at Bella when he said that and Jane laughed and Alec says to Edward:

"Welcome back Edward, it's been so long since we've seen you and who are the others?"

Edward looks at all of us then says:

"I think I'll wait until we get to Aro to tell all the introductions"

Alec nods his head and Felix quietly says just above Bella's head:

"Dibs"

A low snarl came out of Edward's chest and Felix smiled and invited him to a fight but Alice told him with a touch of her arm:

"Patience"

She was warning him. And they looked at each other and I could tell she was telling him something in her mind, not to fight Felix now, Bella breathed a sigh of relief.

Alec just said:

"Aro will be so pleased to see all of you" "Let's not keep him waiting" Jane said.

Edward nodded his head and Alec and Jane joined hands like brothers and sisters do and we went walking down another long hall. But we didn't go all the way down, we stopped and Alec slid a piece of paneling to show a wooden door

They were going to a LOT of trouble to hide and it was dark and cold again, but this antechamber was not large, it opened quickly to a much brighter room, round and two stories up were long window slits that threw sunlight into the room, it was the only light ironically and the only chairs were huge ones in a semi circle on a slighter higher platfrom. There was people in conversation and a pair of women in beautiful dresses paused in the sunlight and their skin became like rainbow sparkles. They all turned toward us, most of the vampires were dressed in pants and shirts but there was a man in a long robe like the one Demetri and Felix wore but it was more elaborate then the man cried out in a overly joyus childlike voice:

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!"

He came to us and I looked at Bella as she dropped her mouth open and Alice looked almost as astonished:

He got closer and he did not come alone, others...like bodyguards followed him. Bella was looking confused and I saw him, he had white, onionlike skin and with BLACK hair and his eyes were red like the others but there seem to be a flim over them. He went to Jane, took her face in his hands and kissed her so lightly like a father on her lips then went back a step and Jane smiled and said:

"Yes master, I bought them all to you"

He turned to us and said:

"Alice! Edward! and I assume this is Bella...and Jasper?"

He clapped his hands together and said:

"This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"

'How does he know our names?' I wondred but I would find my answers soon enough.

He turned to Felix and said:

"Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this" "Yes Master" Felix nodded and disappeared to go get them.

"What do I owe for all this?" Aro turned and looked at Edward and asked. Edward just looked at all of us and said:

"We were just going to visit, rather shortly to get back to the festival, this is Bella's first time"

Mistake. He pointed out Bella and Aro took attention:

"Ah, Bella"

Alice said rather quickly:

"Hello Aro"

His head shot up and he said:

"Alice...how do you do?"

I feel a pring of jealously as I see him lather over Alice like a dog then quickly he turns back to Bella and says:

"I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced, I am Aro...I am like Edward only I am limited in a way he is not" "And also exponentially more powerful..."

Edward said then looked at Alice and he quickly explained:

"Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing in your head at that moment. Aro hears every thought you ever had"

Alice raised her eyebrows and Edward said silently yes. I still couldn't speak and I didn't want to, Bella was just watching and listening to it all then Aro says:

"To be able to hear from a distance, that would be so convenient"

Aro looked at his guards, Bella was slow to turn being human and Felix was back and there was two more, one had the same shockingly black hair and the other was also a shock of white hair, their faces had the same onion then skin and Bella reconignized them from Carlisle's painting. And it was the same as the three hundred year old painting hanging in the Cullen household.

"Marcus, Caius, look! Edward bought so many of his family to visit!..."

His hand swept toward Bella:

"And Bella"

The man with dark hair looked _bored_, more bored than Jane did earlier and the other one looked like somebody who just got a distasteful piece of food. Which is how they saw Bella. Aro was still enjoying all of this and he says:

"Let us hear the story"

Alice asks:

"What story?"

Aro says:

"Why you are here"

Alice looks at Edward and says:

"We told you, for the festi..."

Aro intrerupts:

"Tsk! tsk! the _real_ story"

Edward sighs then says:

"Sigh, I bought her here to convince her not to want to become a vampire"

Bella looks at him in shock then Aro says:

"What?" "Bella wants to be a vampire...to be with me"

Aro smiles and says:

"Any you do not?"

Edward shakes his head then says:

"She doesn't know what she'll be missing"

He just continues to smile then says:

"And you do?"

Edward firmly says:

"YES"

Alice looked fustrated because she saw Marcus touch Aro's hand and Edward tells her:

"Marcus see relationships. He's surprized by the intensity of ours"

Aro smiled and said:

"So convenient, it takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you"

Bella and I looked at Marcus and both silently agreed to that. Aro just asked:

"It's just so difficult to understand,even now..."

Edward tightened his grip around Bella's hip and Aro continued:

"How can you stand so close to her like that?" "It's not without effort" Edward said:

"But still-la tua cantante!...

He looked at Bella and says:

"What a waste!"

Edward chuckled:

"I look at it as more a price"

Aro looks at him and says:

"A very high price" "Opportunity cost"

Aro laughed and said:

"If I hadn't smelled her though your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong! I've never felt anything like it. Most of us would trade for such a gift, and yet, you..." "Waste it"

That's all Edward said:

Aro just laughed and said:

"Ah! how I miss my friend Carlisle! you reminded me of him-only he was not so angry"

Edward simply states: "Carlisle outshines me in so many other ways as well"

I could feel the pride my brother has for our adopted father, myself as well. They talk about Carlisle some more about Carlisle's choice of lifestyle. Then somehow the talk goes back to Bella:

"Just remembering how she appeals to you...it makes me thirsty"

Edward tenses up but Aro says:

"Don't be disturbed, I mean her no harm but I am curious about one thing in particular"

He eyed Bella then asks:

"May I?

"Ask her!"

Aro looks at Bella and says:

"Of coarse, how rude of me, Bella, I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent-so very interesting that such a thing could occur! And I was wondering since our talents are similar in so many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try-to see if you are a exception for me, as well?"

If vampires could suck in their breaths, every person in that room would have, I could only watch as Bella thought for a mere second then gave Aro her hand, Edward gave Bella a small nod of encouragement as she put out her trembling hand, I reached for Alice's hand, she gladly let me hold it. Aro was full of confidence that he could read her but….Aro received Bella's hand like a gentleman from my human years. I wanted to laugh but dare not. And Aro's confidence was shaken and I felt a growing anger but he became calm even before I could make him and he said:

"So very interesting"

I heard him say as Bella placed her hand down, I looked at Edward and back at Alice but both were silent in their minds and hearts. But I felt a little…satisfaction coming from Edward? But Aro still thinking about what had just happened then, Aro shook his head and said:

"A first…I wonder if she is immune to our other talents…Jane, dear?"

Then we all heard Edward say with a loud roar:

"No!"

Alice tried to grab his arm but he shook it off as a feather and Jane just asked:

"Yes Master?"

Edward was still growling and staring at Aro as if he wanted to burn him and everybody looking at Edward like a child misbehaving in class. I saw Felix grin and step forward then Aro asked Jane after making sure Felix stood in place:

"I was wondering my dear, if Bella is immune to you"

All I could hear was Edward's growls of anger. He let go of Bella and moved her to the side as if trying to hide her, Cauis was suddenly there with his guards and Jane turned toward us with a smile like a schoolgirl. I heard my Alice scream:

"Don't!"

Before a moment had passed, I saw Edward on the ground! No one had touched him but he was on the stone cold floor in severe pain while we all watched. Jane was just smiling and I thought about everybody's gift…why everyone treated Jane with so much awe. She had a gift…of _pain._

"Stop!" I heard Bella scream, she started to jump to Edward but Alice grabbed her, Edward said no words and I could feel Bella's pain with his.

"Jane" Was all Aro said. She looked at him and still smiling with a smile that even the devil himself would fear, but when she looked away, Edward was still. Aro looked at Bella, Jane smiled toward Bella, Bella wouldn't look at her and Alice whispered:

"He's fine"

Edward got back up, looked at Bella and he was horrified but….he looked at Bella then Jane and back again and almost fell in relief. Everybody looked at Jane and her miserable smile was gone, her jaw was clenched in effort and I felt Bella wait for the pain. There was none.

Edward stood up again, walked to Bella and he touched his sister and she let go of Bella and Aro just laughed:

"This is wonderful!"

Jane wasn't wonderful, she wanted to attack and I felt every stone of hate from her. And Aro says:

"Don't be put out little one, she confounds us all."

Jane just looked like a angry, hurt little animal that was beaten by the bigger one. And Aro laughed:

"You're very brave, Edward, to endure in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me once-just out of curiosity"

He shook his head and all of us were disgusted. Then Aro asked a question:

"So what do we do with you now?"

Edward, myself and Alice just stiffened and I knew. Bella was trembling.

"I don't suppose you have changed your mind? Your talent would be a excellent addition to our little company"

Edward hesitated and Felix and Jane were NOT happy with this turn of events:

"I'd…rather…not"

Aro turned to Alice and asked:

"Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?"

Alice looked at me then said:

"No, thank you"

"And you Bella?" Aro asked her and we were all surprised by that.

Edward was hissing, low in Bella's ear, we all stared at Aro and I noticed he didn't ask me. But I was happy with Alice.

Caius spoke up:

"What?"

Aro turned to him and said:

"Caius, surely you see the potential, I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?"

Caius looked away and I could feel his disgust. Jane didn't like the comparison at all.

Edward could barely contain his anger then I heard Bella say:

"No, thank you"

Aro just sighed and said:

"That's unfortunate. Such a waste"

Edward spoke these words:

"Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were bought to this room. So much for your laws"

I looked at Alice, she looked back and we were waiting for Aro's next words:

"Of coarse not"

Aro was surprised and 'hurt', we were already convened here waiting for Heidi's return, not for you"

Caius then spoke up:

"Aro, the law claims them"

Edward looked at Caius and said:

"How so?"

Caius pointed at Bella and said:

"She know too much. You have exposed our secrets"

Edward told him this:

"There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well"

We all thought of the receptionist below.

Caius just smiled and said:

"Yes but when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not"

Bella tried to speak up:

"I wouldn't…"

Caius just gave her a look then he continued on with his little speech.

"Nor do you intend to make her one of us, therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave here if you wish."

Edward showed his teeth.

"That's what I thought" Then Felix came forward with a eager look:

"Unless…" Aro interrupted, he was very unhappy with the conversation and he asked:

"Unless you do intend to give her immorality?"

Edward looked around then says:

"And if I do?"

Aro smiled, happy I could feel and he says:

"Why then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle"

Then he carefully choose his next words:

"But I'm afraid you would have to mean it"

Aro raised his hand in front of him, and Edward stared into Bella's eyes and she back and she whispers:

"Mean it, please"

Edward was tortured but Alice stepped away from us, she stepped closer to Aro, took off her long gloves hiding her skin, raised her hand, Aro's guards stepped in but Aro waved them off, he took her hands and his head bent over and I heard Edward's teeth grind together. No one moved, not a soul, not a sound was heard, time passed slowly and I could only think that Alice was showing him her vison of Bella as a vampire. Edward did not want that. Then Aro's laughter was heard, he was the only one laughing:

"Ha, ha, ha, that was fascinating!"

Alice smiled faintly and said:

"I'm glad you enjoyed it" "To see the things you've seen-especially the ones that haven't happened yet!"

He shook his head with awe and Alice said in a calm voice:

"But she will" "Yes, yes, it's determined. Certainly there's no problem"

I felt disappointment in the room from Caius, Jane and Felix and Caius said:

"Aro"

"Dear Caius…"

Aro started on his speech:

"Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring into this little household…besides, I'm so terribly curios to see how Bella turns out!"

Aro seemed convinced. And he looked at me, no doubt Alice showed him our relationship. Edward then asked him:

"Then we are free to go now?" "Yes, yes…" Said Aro in a pleasant voice:

"But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!" "And we will visit you as well" Said Caius. "To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances"

Edward just nodded his head. Caius just turned and went back to his other brother while Felix groaned. I heard Aro tell him:

"Ah, Felix, He

idi will be here at any moment. Patience"

Edward then spoke up:

"Hmmm, In that case, perhaps we better leave sooner than later" "Yes, that's a good idea" said Aro. Please wait below until after dark, though, if you don't mind"

"Of coarse" Said Edward.

We were all relieved to get out of there, for much the same reasons then Aro said:

"And here…"

He motioned to Felix and he came forth and Aro gave him the cloak Felix wore, he tossed it over to Edward and said:

"Take this. You're a little conspicuous"

Edward put it on, leaving the hood on and Aro said:

"It suits you"

Edward gave a dry chuckle but quit and said:

"Thank you Aro, we'll wait below" "Goodbye young friends…"

I could sense his pause then he said:

"Goodbye Jasper"

It was the first time he said my name since we came in here and if I was human, a could shiver would run up me, Edward was urgent to get on and he said:

"Let's go"

Demetri signaled for us to follow him and then we went out exactly the way we came in. Edward pulled Bella quickly closer to him and his sister, he bent his finger telling me to come on and Alice said:

"Not fast enough"

Bella looked at her frightened but Alice only smiled, it was then I heard voices:

"Well, this is unusual"

A human male voice said and then a female said:

"So medeviel"

A large crowd was coming in. Demetri motioned for us to make room, we moved back as far as we could. I think most of them were Americans looking at the place in awe and as they went into the other room, I could hear Aro saying:

"Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra!"

Around 40 of them came in, they studied the place like all tourists. A few took pictures, others were confused and I knew what they were here for. Bella understood then also I could tell, and one woman grabbed ahold of her rosary around her neck. She talked in another language. I think she slowly understood herself. Edward pulled Bella in to his chest. Bella was starting to cry. A tall, gorgeous woman stood there and she stared at all of us but Bella most of all and Demetri simply said:

"Welcome home Heidi"

Heidi smiled politely. She was dressed exceptionally for her beauty and she smiled in between Edward, myself and Demetri and she just said his name. Her voice was silk and Demtri said:

"Nice fishing"

When she said that, we all knew, and she said:

"Thanks…aren't you coming?" "In a minute, save a few for me"

Heidi nodded and went to the door but she turned around to look at Bella long and hard. She was wondering and Edward started a pace that was even hard for us to keep up, but the screaming still started before we could get out.


	9. Chapter 9 Going home

We were left in the reception area where the woman named Gianna still worked and music was playing and Dementri told us:

"Do not leave until dark"

It was more like a warning.

Edward gave him a nod of the head and Demetri went back to wherever and I noticed that Gianna did not seem surprised by the quick words but more at Bella. That a human would leave here with her heart still beating.

"Are you all right?"

I heard Edward ask Bella with tension in his voice. Then I heard Alice say:

"You'd better make her sit before she falls, she's going to pieces"

Bella was shaking, 'shaking like a leaf' the humans say. "Shh, Bella, shhh"

Edward pulled Bella closer to him while Alice said:

"I think she's having hysterics. Maybe you should slap her"

Edward threw a glance at Alice and I wanted to say:

"It was only a suggestion!'

Edward would never hit Bella under any situation:

"It's all right, you're safe, it's all right"

Edward kept telling her over and over again in a soft, calming tone and in the meantime, I turned to Alice, took her hand and held it and looked into her eyes with the silent promise that I would **NEVER** leave again. I was so stupid, I felt like the gum on people's shoes. I heard Bella say:

"All those people" "I know" Edward whispered back. It kept flashing to my mind:

'I've seen much more than that'

And then I heard the secretary's voice, she asked:

"Is there anything I can get you?"

There was no fright or anything in her voice, just concern mixed with curiosity...

"No"

She nodded, looked at all of us then left.

Bella kept looking after her then she asked:

"Does she know what's going on here?"

Bella's voice sounded more sure of herself and Edward told her:

"Yes. She knows everything" "Does she know they're going to kill her someday?" Bella asked. "She knows it's a possibility" Edward told her and I could see Bella's face with surprise on it and Edward says:

"She's hoping they'll decide to keep her" "She wants to be one of them?"

Edward nodded, watching Bella's face then Bella said:

"How can she want that?" Bella was whispering but we could all hear her:

"How can she watch those people file through to that hideous room and want to be a part of _that?"_

I watched Edward's expression and I thought:

'Bella, do you know how that sounds? You say you want to be us…but we are different, the Cullens are different'

'Oh, Edward" Bella started crying again and Edward asked her what's wrong?"

'Is it really sick for me to be happy right now?" She just told him as she hugged herself closer, if that's possible. Edward said:

"I know what you mean, but we have lots of reasons to be happy. For one, we're alive" "Yes, that's a good one"

We all looked at each other and we all said at the same time:

"And together"

Edward then said:

"And with any luck, we'll still be alive tomorrow" "Hopefully"

Was all Bella said and Alice said:

"The outlook is quite good, we'll all be home in less than twenty-four hours"

Bella couldn't take her eyes off Edward, Emmett would puke if he could. Hmpf,…then Edward told Bella:

"You look so tired" "And you look thirsty"

Edward just shrugged his shoulders:

"Are you sure? I could sit with Alice and Jasper"

All I could feel was honesty and peace from Bella:

"Don't be ridiculous…I've never been in better control of that side of my nature than right now"

I kept wondering if he was saying that because of me…did he not want her to sit with me? Alice just grabbed my hand and he looked at me and said:

"Jasper, stop being stupid"

Bella looked around at all of us and laughed, a nervous laugh but she still laughed!

At first we all just relaxed in each other's company but then Edward & Alice discussed how to get home. And Alice asked:

"What was all that talk about _singers?"_

"La tua cantante" Was all Edward said. 'Yes, that" Alice said and Bella and I exchanged glances. "They have a name for someone who smells the way Bella does to me. They call her my singer, because her blood sings for me"

Alice laughed. God, how I love that laugh! Edward and Alice just continued to talk with Edward quickly kissing the top of Bella's head. Everything was going smoothly then I saw Edward's arms tighten around Bella and I saw Alice and Edward look in the back of the room. Alec was coming, his eyes red and he gave us the news:

"You're free to leave now, we ask that you don't linger long in the city"

Edward's voice was icy cold as he answered:

"That won't be a problem"

Alec only gave us a 'friendly' smile then quickly left and Gianna said:

"Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators, the lobby is two floors down and exits to the streets. Goodbye, now"

Would she still be alive if I ever came here again? I saw Alice shoot her a look. We all left the lobby. Bella glanced back at the medieval castle that held horror stories. There was still a celebration in the streets and the feeling of the festivities held a darker story, and stupid vampire 'fangs' were on the adults and Edward muttered:

"Ridiculous"

It was. If these people only_ knew._

Alice was gone from beside me. I heard Bella ask:

"Where's Alice?" "She went to retrieve your bags from where we put them this morning"

Bella asked:

"How does she?..."

Bella stopped then blushed as she remembered. Alice read your mind:

"She's stealing a car too isn't she?"

Edward grinned:

"Not til we're outside"

We walked calmly though the city looking at everything. I briefly thought about Bella's thoughts and we went to a car that had its engine running. Edward slid into the backseat with Bella and Alice said:

"I'm sorry…there wasn't much to choose from"

Edward ginned and said:

"It's fine Alice, they can't all be 911 Turbos"

She just sighed and Edward and I exchanged glances and she said:

"I may have to acquire one of those legally. It was fabulous" "I'll get you one for neChristmas" Edward promised.

Alice just beamed like a child and she started the car off fast and told Edward:

"Yellow"

Edward smiled, turned to Bella falling asleep in his arms and he said:

"You can sleep now Bella, it's over"

We all knew he meant the immediate danger was over and Bella just complained like a little child:

"I don't want to sleep. I'm not tired."

_Right._

"Try" Edward told her. Then I heard him tell her:

"You're still just as stubborn"

Alice of coarse made us all change into clean clothes, I could feel Bella's relief at that but she was being stubborn as not to sleep. The plane trip to Rome was short and then we went from Rome to Atlanta and on the plane Bella asked the attendant for a Coke to drink, Edward just said to Bella:

"Bella"

He knew she was going to drink it just to stay awake. Alice and I sat behind them laughing, holding hands and kissing like it would all go away soon. I still didn't speak much, what could I say? There was nothing I could say to excuse my actions tho Edward could _see_ them, I think he could state my words more than I could. Alice put her head on my shoulder and looked out the window, she acted like she was going to sleep, for the benefit of the passengers, I loved to watch her. Bella stayed awake for the flight to Atlanta and even to Seattle, she seemed determined not to lose a minute with Edward.

None of us were surprised by our reception at the airport. Carlisle and Esme waited for us in a corner far away, Esme reached for all of us in a gigantic hug and she told Bella:

"Thank you"

And then she threw her arms around Alice and Edward and she looked as if she would cry:

"You will _never_ put me through that again do you hear me Alice Cullen?"

Alice just grinned at Edward, back at Jasper and said:

"Sorry, Mom"

Carlisle told Bella, Edward and myself:

"Thank you all, we owe you"

Big brother Emmett walked up to me and asked:

"I'm glad to see you Jasper, are you all right?"

I looked at Alice and said:

"I am now" "Good"

I saw Rose and Alice take a big step back and thought 'Why?' I found out. Emmett took his fist and with **all** his vampire strength, knocked me on the ground. Emmett just turned and left, Esme looked after him and she looked back at Carlisle who just shrugged his shoulders, Rosealie went after Emmett then I looked up at Alice and said:

"Didn't you see that?"

Alice shook her head then said:

"Yes"

I shook my head then said:

"Why didn't you say something?"

She just lightly says:

"It wasn't anything you didn't deserve"

Everybody who was still standing there just laughed. I guess I did deserve it.


	10. Chapter 10 Votare

I didn't know what Edward was doing, I had been spending my time explaining to my family my absence, I didn't even tell Alice about Winnie the Pooh, I felt that was my secret. And Emmett certainly would never stop teasing me in some way or another about it. I felt...a mixture of feelings suddlenly, dark hope and anger that was trying to be controlled...from Edward I had assumed, that was the only one lately with that type of anger. A few moments later I heard Edward's voice call all of us in a low tone, knowing Esme would never allow for loud voices in the house:

"Carlisle? Esme? Rosealie? Emmett? Jasper? Alice?"

I heard Carlisle tell Bella in a loving fatherly voice:

"Welcome back Bella, what can we do for you this morning? I imagine, due to the hour, that this is not purely a social visit?"

Bella then said:

"I'd like to talk to everyone at once, if that's okay. About something important"

"Of coarse, why don't we talk in the other room?"

Carlisle led her and Edward to the dining room, I could hear light switch's switching on, we all followed Edward going in the room, glancing at each other and we went to go sit down, Alice was grinning because she knew what was going on, of coarse. I looked at Emmett and we could see Rosealie giving Bella a small smile. It was a start. Carlisle told Bella:

"The floor is yours"

Bella slowly started speaking with Edward just had a glazed look of anger on his face:

"Well...I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra?"

"Everything" Alice said:

"And on the way?" "That, too" "Good, then we're all on the same page"

Nobody spoke a word until Bella spoke again:

"So, I have a problem...Alice promised the Volturi that I would become one of you. They're going to send someone to check, and I'm sure that's a bad thing-something to avoid. And so, now, this involves you all. I'm sorry about all that..."

She took her time looking at each one of us and then she said:

"But, if you don't want me, then I'm not going to force myself on you, whether Alice is willing or not"

Esme started to speak but Bella stopped her:

"Please, let me finish, You all know what I want. And I'm sure you know what Edward thinks too. I think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote. If you decide you don't want me, then....I'll go back to Italy alone. I can't have them coming here"

Everyone heard a low growl coming from Edward but all of us ignored that and I was considering Bella's words. It made sense. Then she continued:

"Taking into account, then, that I won't put any of you in danger either way, I want you to vote yes or no on the issue of me becoming a vampire"

Bella signaled for Carlisle to begin the vote but Edward interrupted:

"I have something to add before we vote"

Bella's sigh was heard by every body as Edward started to speak:

"About the danger Bella is referring to, I don't think we need to be overly anxious…"

Edward leaned closer on the table and said:

"You see, there was more than one reason why I didn't want to shake Aro's hand in the end. There's something they didn't think of and I didn't want to clue them in"

Edward smiled, pretty confident of himself but now Bella wasn't happy:

"Which was?" Alice said:

"The Volturi are overconfident, and with good reason, When they decide to find someone, it's not really a problem". Do you remember Demetri?"

He looked at Bella and she shuddered and Alice and I looked at each other and he continued:

"He finds people, that's his talent, why they keep him. Now, the whole time we were with any of them, I was picking their brains for anything that might save us, getting as much information as possible. So I saw how Demetri's talent works, he's a tracker, a tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was, His ability is loosely related to what I do, or what Aro does. He catches the…flavor? I don't know how to describe it…the tenor….of someone's mind, and then he follows that. It works over immense distances. But after Aro's little experiments, well…"

Edward shrugged and Bella says:

"You think he won't be able to find me"

Edward just said with a VERY conceited tone in his voice:

"I'm sure of it. He relies totally on that other sense. When it doesn't work with you, they'll all be blind"

Sigh.

Bella asked him quite agitated:

"And how does that solve anything?" "Quite obviously, Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit, and I'll be able to hide you. They'll be helpless" he told us. He was so loving what he was saying and then he said a saying from the south:

"It will be like looking for a piece of straw in a haystack!"

Bella reminded him:

"But they can find you"

Edward only said:

"I can take care of myself"

Emmett laughed his booming laugh and reached across the table extending a fist and said:

"Excellent plan my brother"

Edward smacked Emmett's fist and Rosealie hissed out:

"No"

And Bella agreed:

"Absolutely not"

"Nice" was all I said, it was a good plan.

"Idiots" was Alice's words:

Esme just glared at Edward. Bella straightened herself in the chair then said:

"All right, then, Edward has offered a alternative for you to consider, let's vote"

She turned to Edward and looked at him and asked:

"Do you want me to join your family?"

His eyes were hard and black and he said:

"Not this way, you're staying human"

She just nodded her head and went on, I could feel her seething with anger:

"Alice?" "Yes"

She then asked me:

"Jasper?"

I would not look at Edward when I gave my answer:

"Yes…it'll be nice not to try and kill you all the time"

Bella only smiled but she also had a surprised expression on her face but she went on and asked:

"Rosealie?"

Rosealie took a second, bit down on her lip and just said:

"No"

Surprise there. But then Rose put up her hands and said:

"Let me explain…I don't mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that…this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me"

_Will she get over this?_ I could hear everyone thinking, I didn't have to be a mind reader for that. Bella then turned to Emmett:

"Yeah! We can find some other way to fight this Dementri"

Only Emmett would think that, Bella turned to Esme and she said:

"Yes, of coarse, Bella, you know I already think of you as part of the family"

Tears sprang to Bella's eyes as she said softly:

"Thank you Esme"

And then she turned toward Carlisle and I could feel her nerves tingling and her heart pounding and she looked at my adopted father and he just looked up at Edward and asked:

"Edward?" "No"

Was all my brother said with his lips turned back and Carlisle said:

"It's the only way that makes sense…You've chosen not to live without her and that doesn't leave me a choice"

Edward got up and left the table, he made sure we heard him leaving in anger into the other room, and snarling under his breath and Carlisle said:

"I guess you know my vote"

"Thanks" was all Bella mumbled as she looked after Edward. It was then we heard a LOUD CRASH. I knew Edward had broken something and Esme did not look pleased.

Bella then said:

"That's all I needed. Thank you. For wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too"

Bella's voice was breaking with emotion and Esme ran over and hugged her and said:

"Dearest Bella"

After they finished hugging, she asked my Alice:

"Well, Alice, when do you want to do this?"

Alice just opened her eyes in horror at the thought of actually doing it and Edward just roared back into the room:

"No! no! NO! Are you insane? Have you utterly lost your mind?"

Bella placed her hands over her ears and then Alice tenderly says:

"Um, Bella, I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…"

"You promised!" Bella wailed:

"I know, but…seriously Bella! I don't have any idea how not to kill you"

Bella just kept on encouraging and pleading:

"You can do it!, I trust you"

Edward was like a protective dog and Alice just shook her head and Bella turned to Carlisle and asked:

"Carlisle?"

Edward grabbed Bella's face and tried to force Carlisle not to say anything but it didn't work:

"I'm able to do it, you would be in no danger of me losing control"

"Sounds good"

Edward was holding Bella's jaw then he said:

"Hold on, it doesn't have to be now" "There's no reason for it not to be now"

Bella said but Edward said:

"I can think of a few" "Of coarse you can, now let go of me"

He let go and folded his arms across his chest then said:

"In about two hours, Charlie will be here looking for you. I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police" "All three of them"

Was all Bella said and I could see her thinking then Edward said:

"In the interest of remaining inconspicuous, I suggest that we put this conversation off, at the very least until Bella finishes high school, and moves out of Charlie's house"

Hmmm.

"That's a reasonable request, Bella" Carlisle said:

"I'll consider it" Bella said.

"I should probably take you home, just in case Charlie wakes up early"

Bella looks at Carlisle and asks:

"After graduation?" "You have my word"

Bella turned to Edward and said:

"Okay, you can take me home"

They left and I thought things would settle down some at home. Boy, was I wrong.


	11. Chapter 11 Jasper & friends

I thought things have settled down, Rosealie and Emmett had gone to thier rooms (one only knows what _they_ were doing. Alice was going silently around me still upset and Carlisle and Esme went hunting. The doorbell rang and I went to it, when I opened the door, A UPS man stood there and I asked:

"Yes?"

The man shuffled uncomfortable in his shoes and he says:

"Package for Jasper Cullen"

I see the square, brown package in his hands and I get it and say:

"I'm Jasper Cullen"

The man starts to leave ( in a hurry like most humans do here) and I ask him:

"Do I have to sign anything?"

The man turns and says:

"No, no"

The man hurries down the stairs to the truck and gets in and leaves. Jasper looks at the package in curiosity then closes the door and opens the tightly closed package rather quickly and out pops….Winnie-the-Pooh!

"Winnie!"

The bright eyes of Winnie look up at him and he says:

"Yes, here, I am, he he"

He rubs his tummy and says:

"And not just me!"

Tigger bounces up, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore and the rest wave to him and then Jasper asks:

"How did you get here?"

Pooh points to Christopher Robin and says:

"Christopher Robin filled out a order form because I can't write very well"

Just then Tigger bounces up and says:

"Buddy boy convinced us to come here so we could never be separated again! Woo- hoo!"

Jasper smiles and says:

"I have a idea…Carlisle, Esme, Rosealie, Emmett, and Alice please come down?"

Winnie and friends smile at Jasper and before they can blink their little eyes, all of the Cullen's come down and Jasper says:

"I know that there is nothing I can really do or say to make up for what I did…but I hope this can start"

He starts handing the small animal dolls to each member of the family in surprise. Christopher Robin to Emmett, of coarse Jasper kept Winnie and he gave Piglet to Alice who smiled her biggest smile at him, he gave Roo and his mother to Esme who just hugged the kangaroo and her baby then gave Rosealie, Rabbitt and the wise Owl to Carlisle then he said:

"I'll give Edward Eeyore later"

Carlisle says:

"Thank you Jasper, you didn't have to do this"

Jasper shrugs his shoulders and Esme comes and hugs him as does Alice then nobody notices the wink that Winnie gives Jasper then they all leave for their rooms but Emmett calls after Jasper and says:

"What's next Jasper? Raggedy Ann and Andy? No maybe we should get Ken & Barbie to come over…"

Jasper grits his teeth and says to only himself:

"I knew it, I knew it"

The End.


End file.
